We Didn't Get the Memo!!!

Can you see the for sale signs on the lawns on both sides of the street? This picture is taken in front of our house looking down the street. Our neighbors next to us and right across the street from us are both selling their houses. Is it us????? Are we such bad neighbors?????

The Reimers

Awana Awards Night

Tonight was Awana Awards Night. Olivia received a ribbon for finishing her second book in Sparks. She actually said all the verses in her book twice and finished the workbook as well.

Caleb received a trophy for finishing all three book in Sparks. Caleb also said all the verses in his book twice and completed the workbook too! Next year he goes to T&T and he is very excited about that.
Andrew also received a trophy for finishing his second book in T&T. We are very proud of the kids. They have worked hard all year long.

(Andrew is getting tired of having his picture taken therefore you get his back)

In other news ~ Gerald is once again hobbling around the house. Yesterday he was in the backyard practicing soccer with Andrew and re-injured his knee. He was at the doctor's office today who sent him for an x-ray. He goes back in a week or so and then we'll see where we go from there. He isn't too happy about limping around. But he is here instead of limping around in Mexico.

We are hoping the nice gentle rain will green things up around here and that the warm summer temperatures will arrive shortly!

Good Evening,
Sandy

A New House for Caleb and Olivia

The roses that Gerald bought for Olivia at her ballet recital are gorgeous!!!!!

See...... (a deep orange color)

Caleb and Olivia built their own house in the front yard this afternoon. They had a fun time building with the scrapes of lumber and lattice from the garage.

(Olivia standing at the front door)

(Caleb sleeping in his bedroom)

(showing off for the camera)

Gerald was to have landed in Guadalajara this afternoon and instead we have the joy of having him home for supper and the evening - as well as the next twelve days! The kids and I are not sad about that :). We love having him around!!!

Sandy

Mexico Trip Postponed

Gerald just called me from work to let us know the decision has been made (after many calls to Mexico). They will NOT be leaving in the morning for Mexico due to the Swine Flu. One call that was made to Mexico informed them that all the school in that area will be closed tomorrow for the rest of the week. In the end it was determined that it would be a calculated risk that they didn't need to take.

When Gerald was home for lunch we talked and prayed about the decision as a family. I felt comfortable with whatever they decided! But I am glad that he is staying home and that we don't need to say good-bye to him tomorrow.

Sandy

Our Week

We have had a full and very good week. Olivia had her ballet recital this weekend. One performance Friday night and two on Saturday. After her last recital on Saturday we went out for ice cream. As we get into the van she loudly proclaims, "I love being on stage!" I am sure she gets that from her Aunt Nancy (We love you, Aunt Nancy!!!) I got all teary eyed watching her - she had such a fun time. Her dad bought her a bouquet which she adored! Now her ballet takes a break for the summer.
Caleb had a baseball clinic this past week. He has decided that he would rather play baseball this year instead of soccer. Tomorrow he has a uniform fitting and finds out what team he is on. The season starts next week.

Andrew is still opting for soccer this year and his season also starts next week.

Awana finished last week and the awards ceremony is this week. All three of the kids finished their books this year. Caleb is getting an award for finishing all of the books in the Sparks program. He will begin the T&T program next year - which he is very excited about.

Gerald is leaving Tuesday for Mexico. He is flying into Guadalajara for a week of fact finding meeting with missionaries of other missions. From there he will fly to Chihuahua, also visiting Delicias, Cuauhtemoc, and Juarez before arriving in El Paso to fly back home. Yes, there is some concern about the Swine Flu and they will evaluate the situation tomorrow before they leave on Tuesday. We took some family pictures today after church so that he can pass some out to our friends there. Olivia wanted to wear her crown from her ballet outfit to church today. And of course, Lobo, had to get into at least one picture as we did purchase him in Mexico.


Last Thursday the kids had some friends over. Their parents were in Ethiopia picking up their little guy that they are adopting. It was a privilege to help them out in this way. After playing outside for awhile they were rather toasty and ended up on the couch playing the DS. I came in to find them looking like this:
We have two weeks of school left. Yahoo!!!! We will finish before Gerald comes home from Mexico. We are in wind-down-mode as the kids are just reviewing in most of their books and not much teaching is taking place. Olivia has commented almost every day this week about how few pages she has left in her books. The kids have worked hard and we are all looking forward to finishing and enjoying some time off.

Well, off to enjoy the rest of the Sunday afternoon with the family!

Sandy

Meet Mr. Pete

While the kids are working on their school work I thought I would post some of our pictures from yesterday.

Caleb and Olivia spent some time helping our neighbor Mr. Pete yesterday. Caleb helped him chop up the ice and carry it out of the shed and Olivia raked some of the leaves off the lawn and carried it to the dumpster. Mr. Pete is in his 80's (as is his wife) and have been great grandparents to our children. The kids all love to go over to their house when they see Mr. Pete in the yard.

Caleb and Mr. Pete

Olivia raking for Mr. Pete

It was such a beautiful sunny day so I carried all my flowers and plants out to the deck.

This one is my favorite!

We have also enjoyed all the birds that come to the feeder that Andrew and Gerald built last fall. It was on the deck all winter and has now been moved to the tree. We all enjoyed the day yesterday - Olivia has quite a sunburned neck, and all three kids faces look sun kissed.

Sandy

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Playing in the yard before school

Still in jammies - before school - longing to play in the sunshine

Field Trip, Weekend Visitors

Last Tuesday Andrew and I went on a field trip with our home school group to the museum in Winnipeg. We had a two hour tour of the Nonsuch ship and the fur trade. We had studied the fur trade earlier this year. As Andrew said, "It was fun to have it come alive!" The Nonsuch ship was brought to Winnipeg and then the museum was built around the ship.

Andrew examining the fox fur...

Here he's leading the charge...

On Thursday Nancy (my sister) and her family arrived to spend the weekend with us. The kids were so excited for them to come. In fact we told them they could stay up until their cousins arrived but when 10:00 pm rolled around we told them to go lay in their bed and we would get them up when they got here. They pulled in right at 11:00. We kept our word and got them up. It was midnight before we got everyone back to bed. We had a great time with them and are so thankful that they took the time to drive up and spend the weekend with us.

Olivia and Kimmie washing dishes...

Gerald finished his classes today. The kids and I were so excited that he wouldn't have to spend the evenings doing homework now. Olivia kept telling Gerald that now he could wrestle with them in the evening. We are definitely happy to see some of our commitments winding down. Olivia has one more week of ballet with the recital on the weekend. Awana has three more weeks left. I have three more tutoring sessions.

The weather was so beautiful today! The kids (and their friends) spent time outside today - in fact Olivia has a bit of a red neck from the sun today. Tomorrow is promising to be even warmer. Maybe with the hot sun will finally melt the rest of the snow in the yard. It is almost gone!!!

Have a good evening,
Sandy

By the Numbers

216 - # of flowers and vegetables growing in my living room (give or take a few)

24 - # of days of school the kids and I have left

18 - # of bags/boxes of Easter candy awaiting our visitors

16 - days since spring arrived and yet the yard is covered in snow

12 - # of people who will be living in our house this weekend

10 - # of days Gerald has left in this semester

10 - # of flowers plants about to bloom

5 - # of cucumbers growing on the plant in my living room

4 - days until our relatives arrive for a visit

3 - assignments Gerald has left to turn in

3 - # of people in our house with a runny nose

2 - # of pepper plants flowering

1 - the # of children that received a new mattress yesterday

1 - the # of gift certificates we recently received for a night away

There She Blows!!!

This weekend we made volcanoes! Last week we studied Mars. Did you know that the biggest volcano in the whole solar system is on Mars? We created the volcanoes on Friday and let them dry overnight.

The Finished Products

Caleb's volcano

Andrew's volcano

Olivia's pink volcano

Tonight after supper we set them off.

As my dad would say, "A Good Time was had by All!!!!!

Sandy